


This Chain Will Hold My Memories of You

by Crimson_Hoodie



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-22 21:37:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23234110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimson_Hoodie/pseuds/Crimson_Hoodie
Summary: Ever since reading the theory of the significance behind Sora's crown necklace by tumblr user blowingoffsteam2 I've wanted to write a small story that draws from that.Sora is always wearing that crown necklace, could it be because it holds precious memories of someone dear?
Relationships: Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Kudos: 15





	1. The Gift: Destiny Islands

**Author's Note:**

> Letting y'all know in this first chapter, they're kids. This takes place sometime between the events of BBS and KH1. Mature rating comes later.

Sora kicked at the sand as he paced. Riku was late. Sora’s dad had always taken them out to the play island together, but Riku insisted that he could make his way there on his own this time. Sora’s dad left Sora on the beach with a wave and a promise to come back in few hours as usual. That was twenty minutes ago. Sora started pouting. He squinted towards the main island again and finally saw a small rowboat and that familiar silver hair. Pout vanishing, Sora ran out to the docks and waited for Riku to pull in. 

“You’re late Riku!” he chastised. Riku threw the rope at Sora who caught it with the skill of a practiced islander and tied it securely to the dock post. 

“Sorry it took longer to finish than I expected.” Riku grunted as he heaved himself onto the wooden dock. Despite standing a head taller than Sora, Riku was not his usual formidable self; he was shaking and out of breath. 

“Whoa Riku! Are you okay? Do you need to rest?” Sora hovered near his best friend ready to catch him if he fell. 

Riku waved him off as he walked inland towards the treeline. 

“I’m fine, the sea was just rough today.”

Sora glanced at the calm waters and frowned. He rushed after Riku who sat down on the rocks surrounding the pool of fresh water that came from the waterfall. He splashed water over his arms and neck trying to cool down. 

Sora squatted down next to Riku.

“So what were you finishing?”

Riku paused for a second then with a quick push of his arm he sent a big splash of cool water onto Sora. Sora squawked indignantly and fell backwards onto the sand.  
“Hey! What was that for?!”

“It’s a secret” Riku said grinning. “But I could be persuaded to tell you if...” he trailed off. 

Sora sat up legs crossed, “If what?” his eyes round and focused on Riku. 

Riku jumped up, “If you beat me to the tree and back!”, and he took off running.

“Wha-?! No fair!” Sora cried as he scrambled to his feet. He chased after Riku’s laughter, feet pounding against the sand. 

Sora jogged up to Riku was waiting, victorious again. 

“You cheated!”

“I went easy on you!” 

Sora pouted and Riku put his hand on his shoulder. 

“You wanna eat some paopu? I’m starved.” Riku smiled.

Sora grumbled still miffed but excited for some of the sweet fruit. He nodded his head. Riku snorted and took off towards the paopu trees with Sora hot on his heels.  
They spent the next few minutes climbing the trees for some of the yellow starfruit and after grabbing the choicest picks they returned to the pond and submerged the fruit keeping it under with a hand each. 

They sat in silence listening to the rush of the waterfall and the muted background sounds of the swelling and crashing waves on the beach. Their hands that were holding the fruit were slowly becoming numb from the cool water. 

“Hey Sora.”

“Yeah?” Sora looked up from the water to Riku.

“My Mom told me this legend about the paopu fruits. She said that it’s been known to the islanders for generations. Do you wanna hear it?” Riku glanced at Sora with a soft smile. 

Sora nodded quickly causing Riku to chuckle as he looked at the falling water.

“Well she said that if two people share one, their destinies would be intertwined, and they’d be bound to each other’s lives forever.” Riku kept staring at the waterfall, but when he heard no reaction from his best friend he looked back. There were stars in Sora’s eyes. 

“Wow! That sound so cool! We should do that Riku!”

Riku began coughing violently and the tips of his ears turned red. 

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. My mom said it was supposed to be romantic.” Riku managed to squeak out when he caught his breath. 

“Oh.” Sora deflated a little. He thought for a moment and then perked up again. “Well that’s if we share one right?”

“Right?” Riku drew out, not sure where his friend was going with this.

“So if we eat our own fruits together then maybe it’ll do the same thing but as friends!” Sora beamed. He thought that his plan was very logical and all he wanted now was to make sure he and Riku would never lose their friendship. 

Riku tapped his lips as he thought the idea over. “That might actually work.”

Sora pulled his fruit out of the water and shook off the excess droplets. “Let’s do it!”

Riku pulled his fruit out as well being sure to shake the water all over Sora who giggled and tried to do the same back.

“Okay.”

Sora held out his paopu towards Riku. 

“Um Sora? What are you doing?”

“Well since we aren’t sharing one we need to, I don’t know, activate it I guess?”

Riku stared at him bemusedly, “and to activate it we need to cross arms?” he questioned holding back his laughter.

Sora bristled a little, getting defensive, “yes! How else will the fruit know we want to be bound together?”

“Alright, alright that makes sense.” Riku conceded. He mirrored Sora and held out his paopu despite feeling very silly holding this pose. 

Sora smiled at Riku then and he couldn’t stop from smiling back fondly. Then Sora lowered his arm and launched into ravenously consuming the chilled fruit. Riku kept smiling as he bit a chunk from his own fruit. Cold and sweet perfect for the hot day. 

After they ate, the two boys washed their hands from the stickiness. Feeling re-energized Riku suggested they play pirates on the sparring island. Sora readily agreed and they jogged over to the boat where Riku had brought over their wooden swords. Now armed they gleefully ran up the stairs and over the bridge to the island. 

Riku immediately broke into fighting stance. “Ready?”

Sora gave a toothy grin and in a very bad pirate accent cried out, “Avast ye!” and lunged with his sword.

The play island echoed with the sounds of wood clanging together as the two sparred again and again. Their hearts soared as they ran around sparring, leaping, diving, striking, and all the time making silly remarks as swashbuckling scalawags. 

Riku held his sword in front of him holding back Sora’s downward strike before pushing the smaller boy off of him. Sora rolled back and stood at the ready, eyes alight with excitement. Riku smirked.

“Ho Sora! What say ye to some treasure?”

Sora lowered his sword for a second. Cocking his head questioning, “treasure?”

Riku nodded as he paced in a circle around Sora who immediately mirrored him. 

“Aye, if ye can beat me in battle I’ll give it to ye!” Riku called out. 

Sora smiled determined. “I’ll have yer treasure! Avast!” and he lunged at Riku. Riku easily dodged and backed up a few paces. Sora spun around and fell into pacing around again. Riku rushed Sora and swung out sideways. Sora ducked underneath the wood and kicked out at Riku’s feet, knocking him down. The Sora jumped on top of him pushing his sword across Riku’s neck as he tried to get back his breath. 

“Now where is me treasure?” Sora growled playfully. 

“Let me up and I’ll show you.” Riku gasped.

Sora got up and reached out his hand for Riku. Riku took it and raised himself to his feet. 

“Follow me.” Riku murmured and started walking back across the bridge. Sora followed him down to the waterfall and he kept walking past towards their secret place.

“Riku the sun will be setting soon are you sure we should go in there now?”

Riku looked over his shoulder back at Sora with a smile. “the fearsome pirate Sora isn’t scared right?”

“I’m not scared!” Sora protested and quickly followed Riku into the cavern. 

When they reached the main room in the back, Riku turned around to face Sora and started fumbling with one of his pockets. 

“One sec.” He muttered as he struggled with the zipper for a second before it unzipped and he plunged his hand inside and pulled out a chain.

“What’s that?” Sora asked.

Riku handed it gingerly to him. “It’s for you.” he mumbled. 

Sora held it up to the fading light and saw the outline of a chain necklace with a pendant in the shape of a crown attached. 

“A necklace?”

“You said you liked Wakka’s new necklace, so I made you one.” Riku clenched his fists. 

It’s true Sora had said he thought Wakka looked cool wearing his new necklace a few weeks ago before the goofball lost it in the ocean. 

“You made this?” Sora asked impressed. 

“Yeah, do you like it?” asked Riku.

Sora beamed, “I love it! I’ll never take it off!” he said as he slipped it over his head. The large chain hung low on his small frame, but Sora didn’t care; this was a gift made especially for him by his best friend. 

“Thanks Riku!” Sora pulled Riku in for a hug and the taller boy laughed relieved that his friend liked the gift. 

“Come on Sora, it’s starting to get dark we should head back.”

Sora let Riku go and nodded, “right”. 

They walked out to the beach just as Sora’s dad rowed in. 

“Dad! Look what Riku made me!” Sora ran up to his father’s boat proudly puffing his chest to show off his new necklace. 

Sora’s dad pushed the brim of his hat up to get a better look. “Whoa that’s some craftsmanship! Good job Riku!”

Riku’s ears turned red at the praise. “Thanks.”

“Dad can I ride with Riku? Please?” Sora shot puppy dog eyes at his father who chuckled at his son’s antics. “Sure, why not. You guys go ahead, I need to rest for a bit.”

“Wahoo!” Sora cheered and jumped into Riku’s canoe, “come on Riku!”

Riku joined Sora in the boat and picked up the oar. He paddled them swiftly back to the main island as Sora turned the crown in the sunset's light, watching the reflections dance across the metal surface. 

Today was a good day they thought to themselves.


	2. Memories Retained: Kingdom Hearts 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Relevant events of Kingdom Hearts 1 with a bit of dialogue omission because I don't want y'all to suffer through reading Ansem's personal love letter to darkness.

Sora walked towards Kairi hands held behind his head in a relaxed pose. 

“Whatcha making there Kairi?”

Kairi glanced up through her red hair with a secretive smile. 

“It’s a lucky charm, for the trip!” 

“Oh nice! Good thinking!” Sora peered down at the partially done charm made of Thalassa shells. 

“Ahem!” an annoyed cough sounded from behind them. The two turned to face Riku who was carrying a small log over one shoulder, a smirk on his face. 

“Slacking off again?”

Kairi giggled while Sora rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. 

“Sorry Riku.” Sora chuckled. 

“Oh yeah? Prove it. Go get the items on this list Kairi made.” Riku picked up a nearby paper and handed it off to Sora. “And I better not catch you taking another nap on the beach.”

“That was one time!” Sora protested. 

“And you”, Riku moved to Kairi, ignoring Sora’s protests, “you’re supposed to be watching him so he doesn’t slack off.”

“Hey!” Sora squawked. 

Kairi smirked up at Riku, “Well you’re supposed to make sure I watch him so he doesn’t slack off, so who’s the real slacker?” she quipped. 

“Yeesh”, Riku threw up his hands in mock frustration and walked off to gather more logs. 

“I don’t need babysitting”, Sora pouted. Kairi turned towards him and patted his drooping head. 

“There there.” She cooed.

Sora grunted at her teasing and ran off with the list clutched in his hand. 

Sora and Kairi sat on the docks watching the sun set. Riku was walking on the beach nearby and came close to the pillars of the dock; he stopped when he overheard his friends’ voices. 

“You know, Riku has changed…” Kairi stated.

Riku perked up at his name. 

How have I changed? What does she mean?

“What do you mean?” Sora asked.

“Well…” she started, “Sora! Let’s take the raft and go! Just the two of us!” Kairi exclaimed. 

“Huh?” Sora looked over at her confused. 

Riku quietly stalked away from underneath the dock eyebrows furrowed.

Just the two of them huh?

Kairi giggled, “Just kidding”.

“You’re the one that’s changed Kairi.” Sora laughed.

Sora ran across the bridge to the sparring island his lungs were on fire and his heart was pounding wildly in his chest. 

What were those creatures? I’ve gotta find Riku and Kairi!

He spotted Riku with his back turned to him and called to him. He turned to face Sora.

“The door has opened Sora. Now we can go to the outside world!” he called back desperately.

“What are you talking about? We’ve gotta find Kairi!” Sora yelled, confused.

“Kairi’s coming with us!” Riku snapped. Sora stared taken aback as Riku continued talking about leaving and the darkness, it scared Sora. 

Why is he talking like this? 

Riku reached out his hand for Sora’s. 

“Riku…” Sora murmured. Darkness licked at Riku’s feet and began enveloping him, but the teen didn’t waver and kept waiting for Sora to take his hand. Sora tried to seize his hand but couldn’t reach and then he was gone and instead of grabbing hold of Riku, Sora clutched the keyblade.

Riku woke up to the familiar sounds of rushing water. He stood slowly.

Where am I?

He looked around and noticed that the water was all falling upwards. He began to search frantically around him for his best friends, but he couldn’t see them. Fear struck into his heart then. 

“Sora! Kairi! Where are you…?” 

He hung his head. He was so sure that they'd be right behind him and now he doesn't know where they are or if they even made it off the island. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes as the hopelessness washed over him. 

What can I do?

Sora stormed forwards towards Kairi’s limp frame laying on the ground inside Hallow Bastion’s castle. 

“Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!” Sora pleaded as he shook her. She didn’t respond. 

“It’s no use” said a voice familiar yet strange.

Sora turned to see Riku cloaked in darkness again lounging on top of the gateway. 

“That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up.” He stated in a monotone voice. 

That’s not Riku.

“You…You’re not Riku.” Sora stuttered.

The possessed Riku talked of Kairi being a princess of heart, but none of that mattered to Sora as much as wanting to free his best friend.

“Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!” he pleaded.

“But first you must give the princess back her heart”, not-Riku answered. He whipped his jagged keyblade out towards Sora’s chest. Sora felt pain surge from inside and he fell to his knees from the pain. 

Not-Riku went on to explain how Kairi’s heart was inside of Sora.

“Tell me…who are you?” Sora ground out, the pain from his chest still burned hot. 

“It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.” Ansem stated. 

Sora heard Donald try to defend him and then heard the dull thwack as he was hit off the platform. He was still trying to process everything he just learned. He heard Ansem speaking above him.

“…lead me into everlasting darkness!”

That would mean Riku would go to! And Ansem is going after Kairi’s heart! I’ve got to move!

“Sora!” Kairi’s voiced called out from within pushing him into action. In one swift motion he brought up the keyblade blocking a punishing downward blow from Ansem. 

“Forget it! There’s no way you’re taking Kairi’s heart!” Sora ground out as he pushed Ansem off. 

Ansem stood a few feet away and smirked through Riku’s face. “Come.”

Sora threw himself after Ansem with reckless abandon hoping to beat him down enough to get through to Riku. Ansem just laughed as he blocked and parried Sora’s attempts. Sora’s training across the worlds must have been working however because he did manage to get some solid hits in and before long Ansem was no longer laughing but throwing out attacks laced with darkness. 

He suddenly launched in the air behind Sora.

“Here it comes!” he cried out. 

Sora noticed the beginnings of a powerful attack just in time and dodged out of the way. The battle continued. 

Sora struck a final blow. He was certain that would be enough to incapacitate Ansem/Riku. As the jagged keyblade clattered out of Ansem/Riku’s hand on onto the floor, Riku’s body faded into nothing.

“Riku!” Sora tried to run to him but he was gone. 

No! Riku…

“Sora! Sora look!” Donald yelled.

“The Keyhole!” Goofy added.

Right. I’ve got to seal the keyhole…

Sora pointed at the keyhole, but the usual flash of light didn’t happen. 

“Huh?”

“It won’t work! They keyhole’s not finished yet!” Goofy lamented.

“What can we do?” Sora asked banishing his keyblade. 

“Maybe we’ve gotta go wake Kairi up.” Goofy suggested.

“I think you’re right”, Sora agreed turning back to Kairi’s body, “if we can free her heart…but…but how?”

Sora’s eyes searched the room and landed on the jagged keyblade that Ansem used. 

“A keyblade that can unlock people’s hearts. I wonder…” Sora muttered and marched towards the keyblade. He bent down and picked it up off the floor.  
“Sora hold on!” “Sora wait!” Goofy and Donald pleaded.

I have to free Kairi’s heart. Not just for her, but for this world. Once the keyhole is complete, someone else can come along and seal it.

Sora grinned back at his friends and quickly turned the blade onto himself and stabbed himself in the heart. A light shone out from inside Sora’s chest and Kairi opened her eyes for the first time in weeks. The first thing she saw was Sora falling. 

“Sora!” Kairi ran towards her friend and just as she caught him he disappeared into small lights that shone momentarily before dying out. 

“Sora…are you really…? No! he can’t be! I won’t let him go!” Kairi held her seashell pendant as she yelled out. 

Ansem stepped out of darkness then, in his true form. 

“So you have awakened at last, princess. The keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it’s over.“ He swiped his hand to the side as he stepped towards the trio. 

Donald and Goofy prepared to defend Kairi though they doubted they could beat such a powerful foe without the help of their fallen comrade.  
Then Ansem began to jerk and his movements forwards stilled. 

“What?” he questioned in anger.

Riku’s heart shone and stood between Ansem and the trio. 

“No! You won’t use me for this!” he strained as he held back Xehanort’s heartless with pure will. 

“Riku!” Kairi called out to her friend not wanting to leave him behind. 

“You’ve gotta run! The heartless are coming!” Riku yelled. 

Kairi nodded and the trio ran from the arriving heartless.

“Don’t worry Sora, if anyone can save your friend you can.” Leon assured. 

“Thanks Leon.” Sora gave the Radiant Garden group a smile before he, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy left for the Wizard Merlin’s house. 

“Riku is still fighting Ansem Sora. He protected me and Donald and Goofy.” Kairi said as they walked through the underground tunnels. 

“That sounds like him. I knew he wouldn’t give up that easily.” Sora sighed. He reached up to grab his necklace and rubbed on the crown absentmindedly. “I’m just worried about him.”

Kairi put her hand on Sora’s arm, “I know Sora, I am too. We can’t stop believing in him though. I can feel him in my heart, can’t you?”

Sora closed his eyes and gripped the crown tight. He could feel him, Riku, he was alive and he was fighting. 

“I have to go now I have to help him.” Sora said. 

I’ve already spent too much time here. He needs help now.

“Take this.” Kairi handed off the finished charm of Thalassa shells. “It’s my lucky charm be sure to bring it back to me.” She demanded.  
“Don’t worry I will.” Sora promised her. 

In doing so he found a new keyblade, the memories of Kairi. Promises…kept…Oathkeeper. 

Sora walked back into the room where he lost his heart. Emotions flooded him and he walked blindly as he tried to get his bearings. Donald and Goofy were calling for him to go close the keyhole and he should but he needed a minute. 

I lost Riku here. I lost my heart here. I nearly lost Kairi here. 

Sora grabbed the crown again, grounding himself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

He opened his eyes and looked around the room where his latest battle had taken place. There was something off about that fight. Something he couldn’t place. He closed his eyes in thought.

“Here it comes!”

Sora choked for a second. 

He said ‘here it comes’ before he attacked. Why would Ansem warn me before he struck? He wouldn’t, which must mean that Riku was resisting him even then he was trying to protect him…the fight must go on. Riku is still in there, his light still shines in the darkness. 

Sora opened his eyes and a shining black metal caught his eye.

“What is that…?” Sora walked over and found a wicked looking keyblade of obsidian with chains and devils wings and…a keychain with a crown.  
Our crown… Riku…

This was the memories of Riku, Oblivion. Memories…forgotten..

“I’ll remember him”, Sora murmured to himself clutching the crown hanging around his neck, “he’ll always be with me here.”

“Sora! We need to seal the keyhole!” Goofy called.

“Right! Coming!” Sora yelled back. 

The final clash with Ansem was over now the door must be closed. Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran over and began pushing the large white doors closed, but they were too heavy. 

“I…can’t…” Sora grunted. The door wouldn’t budge. A glove-clad hand gripped the other side of the door.

“Don’t give up!”

Sora jolted and looked up at Riku.

“Come on Sora. Together we can do it!” he encouraged. 

With the help of Mickey and Aqua on the other side of the door, Sora and Riku managed to get the door moving shut and as the door was about to close Sora looked up at Riku who was looking at him sadly.

“Take care of her”.

Sora could feel tears welling up in his eyes, but he pushed them down and nodded and threw all his weight onto the door and it finally closed. 

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were walking and searching. They were searching for King Mickey and Sora was searching for Riku. 

“I’ll find you…”, Sora took hold of the crown, “…I’ll find you Riku.”


End file.
